What is the chief function of any business? It is, of course, to make as much money as possible. IT support technology will help in achieving this by simplifying the flow of business and thus saving money. There are plenty of electronic devices, services, and machines out there, many produced with the aim of helping companies go further. The question is how can one use these to help reduce expenditure? Startups can save money on IT support in many ways, but there are some very simple things any startup business owner can do to keep IT support costs down.
3 Ways Startups Can Save Money on IT Support
So what are the key ways that you can save money on IT support? Let’s take a closer look.
1. Use Free and Open Source Software
Shop around for free open-source software which, in many cases, is free, and continue to do so until it no longer makes sense in your startup.
There are a lot of free online storage providers offer space to store data online, share photos, presentations, and video material. You can even store your favorite music.
There are numerous excellent alternatives available for word processing, spreadsheets, presentations, and drawing.
Most of these free service providers manage access to these storage spaces themselves and this helps any startup save money.
2. Use Managed Service Providers
It may be many years before you need to employ an IT Support technician which comes with all the overheads like payroll and benefits.
Shop Around, there is no shame in trying to get the best price for IT support services. If you need to use licensed software ask for a discount. Some software vendors will give you free access for a year and a discounted license if you continue after that.
Check to see if licensed software can give a discount if you make an annual payment as opposed to a monthly subscription.
There are a number of service providers whose offerings include service and help desks, virtual assistants, and receptionists. Often a significant cost saving can be achieved using these services due to their ‘pay as you go‘ models.
3. Assess The Cost of Your Internet Connection
There are many major packages from numerous internet service providers that take the time to research and understand your internet requirements. Cost is an important consideration and more important than performance and speed.
Be cautious, it is not true that the more you pay the better service you get.
Ensure that the service you choose is uncapped. It can be a nightmare when you receive huge bills after reaching your data cap.
Coverage and access are very important and a big influence on the costs you can expect. If you are a high volume startup, it may not be practical to use mobile technologies, you may need to use fiberoptic, which is usually more expensive.
Make sure your internet connection has the option to change or upgrade without cancellation fees.
Take Advantage of Automation
We all know “time is money.” Every wasted minute that passes could be a lost financial opportunity.
Some opportunities for automation include social media posts, data backups, email, and accounting tasks like invoicing and payments which can be automated and certainly bring about cost savings.
Get in touch with us to see how we can help you with cost-effective IT support.